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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104110-104111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30382]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Real Property Master 
Plan Implementation at Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, North 
Carolina AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability 
of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for implementing 
proposed real property actions at Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point 
(MOTSU), North Carolina. This DEIS evaluates the potential effects of 
the implementation of various projects needed for the safety and 
mission of the facility and provides an analysis of the effects of 
implementing real property maintenance, repair, upgrade, and 
development actions. The proposed action is needed to address 
improvements to real property related to

[[Page 104111]]

explosive safety, waterfront maintenance, security, and linear 
infrastructure. The projects and programs address compliance with 
federal, state, DoD, and Army standards vital to safety, security, and 
other mission needs. The document also makes available for public 
comment a Draft Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) prepared 
because portions of the proposed action occur in floodplains or involve 
construction in wetlands, or both.

DATES: Comments on the DEIS can be submitted during the 45-day public 
review period, through 4 February 2025.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to James A. Rupkalvis, 
Installation Manager, 6280 Sunny Point Road, Southport, NC 28461-7800, 
or via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Burkhalter, Legislative 
Affairs Officer, Public and Congressional Affairs Office, Military 
Surface Deployment and Distribution Command; telephone: (618) 220-6119; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MOTSU is the Military Surface Deployment and 
Distribution Command's East Coast strategic ammunition port and is 
DoD's primary ammunition seaport supporting the European, African, and 
Middle Eastern areas of operation. The proposed action includes 
barricade safety, waterfront maintenance, Pleasure Island Explosive 
Safety Clear Zone security, linear infrastructure (e.g., roads, rail, 
utilities, firebreaks), stormwater mitigation, and cantonment area 
infill. The proposed action also includes modernizing operation areas 
and general repair and maintenance of infrastructure, to include 
facilities, wharves, roads, rail, utilities, and perimeter security. 
The proposed projects address critical mission requirements and are 
planned for fiscal years 2025 through 2031.
    The DEIS evaluates the potential impacts associated with 
implementing the proposed RPMP activities, to include analyzing Full-
Plan Implementation, a Partial Implementation Alternative, and a No-
Action Alternative. The DEIS assesses the impacts of the alternatives 
on resources and identifies mitigation measures. Resource areas and 
potential impacts addressed include coastal zone management, air 
quality, noise, geology and soils, water resources, biological 
resources, and cultural resources. The DEIS has not identified any 
significant impacts, but consultation is ongoing with regulatory 
agencies.
    Executive Order (E.O.) 11988, Floodplain Management, requires that 
if an agency finds that the only practicable alternative for an action 
requires siting in a floodplain, the agency shall design or modify its 
action in order to minimize potential harm to or within the floodplain. 
Under E.O. 11990, Protection of Wetlands, an agency must avoid 
undertaking new construction in wetlands unless the agency finds that 
there is no practicable alternative to such construction. The Army 
determined that elements of the proposed action must be located within 
portions of the floodplain and wetlands at MOTSU. Accordingly, a Draft 
FONPA--i.e., a notice containing an explanation of why the action is 
proposed to be located in floodplains and wetlands--is also being 
circulated for public review and comment.
    Native American Tribes, federal, state, and local agencies/
officials, and other interested entities/individuals are encouraged to 
comment on the DEIS and Draft FONPA during the 45- day public comment 
period. The DEIS and Draft FONPA are available on the project website 
at: https://www.sddc.army.mil/SitePages/Environmental%20Programs.aspx. 
All comments postmarked or received by 4 February 2025 will be 
considered in the development of the Final EIS. Following the 
conclusion of the comment period, the Army will consider all comments 
and prepare responses that will appear in an appendix of the Final EIS. 
The Final EIS will be made available to the public, which will start a 
30-day waiting period. No sooner than the conclusion of that waiting 
period, the Army will publish a Record of Decision.

James W. Satterwhite Jr.,
U.S. Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-30382 Filed 12-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3711-CC-P
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